Epic Theatre Ensemble
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
Epic Theatre Ensemble firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Epic Theatre Ensemble
- Legal name
- Epic Theatre Ensemble
- Website
- https://epictheatreensemble.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Epic Theatre Ensemble industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts Education
- NAICS
- Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts Companies (7111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB), Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE), Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater) (EDAMAAAG)
Keywords
Where Epic Theatre Ensemble is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Epic Theatre Ensemble business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Membership (Ovation Society): Epic Theatre Ensemble is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that relies primarily on donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations. The Ovation Society is their premier membership program with tiers from $500 to $50,000+, offering benefits including VIP tickets to events, recognition, and access to special performances.
- Foundation and Government Grants: Institutional funding from foundations and government sources including Arthur Miller Foundation, Axe-Houghton Foundation, Bloomberg LLC, National Endowment for the Arts, New York Foundation for the Arts, NYC City Council, and others.
- Ticket Sales and Event Revenue: Revenue from ticket sales for professional productions, benefits, and special events like Epic Duets annual benefit featuring Broadway stars alongside students.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Ovation Society membership tiers ranging from $500 to $50,000+ |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Epic Theatre Ensemble product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Epic Theatre Ensemble is an artist-run 501(c)(3) non-profit theatre company that produces professional Off-Broadway theatrical works addressing social and political issues and runs youth development programs — including in-school residencies, the after-school Shakespeare Remix program, and the Epic NEXT intensive mentorship program — for students from under-resourced NYC public high schools. The organization also operates touring youth ensemble productions, a college access program, new play development (Blueprint Festival), and an Ovation Society membership/donor program.
Product overview
Epic Theatre Ensemble is an artist-run non-profit theatre company founded in 2001 that operates as a unified portfolio of youth development and professional theatre programs. The core offerings include In-School Residencies (Science Ethics, Culture Project, Antigone Project, Human Rights Theatre), Shakespeare Remix (after-school program with professional performances), Epic NEXT (intensive youth mentorship and touring productions), and College Access guidance. Professional productions include Off-Broadway work through the Blueprint Festival (new play development) and touring Youth Ensemble plays. Supporting programs include the Ovation Society membership, Sweets Factory Fellowship (theatre industry mentorship), and published curriculum guide 'Citizen Artists'. The organization serves under-resourced NYC public schools with 96% college enrollment rates among program participants.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Epic NEXT: Youth development program pairing professional artists with selected students from partner schools, focusing on theatre-making, leadership development, civic engagement, and college readiness
- Shakespeare Remix (REMIX)
- Ovation Society
- Blueprint Festival
Products and services
- In-School Residencies Long-term theatre residencies delivered in English, History, Economics, Science, and Theatre classrooms at NYC public high schools where Epic Teaching Artists guide students in exploring the relationship between individuals and society and creating original performances. Sample residency themes include Science Ethics, The Culture Project, The Antigone Project, and Human Rights Theatre.
- Shakespeare Remix After-school youth development program in which 20-60 students analyze classic plays, debate social and political questions, weave their own writing into adapted scripts, and perform alongside professional theatre artists in fully produced theatre and film productions. Winner of the 2009 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award.
- Epic NEXT Epic's most ambitious youth development program pairing professional artists 1-on-1 or 2-on-1 with selected students from partner schools in a year-round mentorship covering theatre-making, leadership development, civic engagement, and college readiness, including creation of 30-minute touring plays on educational justice. Since 2013, Epic NEXT students have earned over $1 million in scholarships.
- Youth Ensemble Touring Program Summer youth ensemble that creates original touring plays based on educational research and stakeholder interviews commissioned by universities and community partners. Student artists research topics, interview stakeholders, weave transcribed material with original writing, and perform for content-connected audiences; since 2015, touring plays have delivered 350 performances in 42 cities in 3 countries for 100,000+ audience members.
- College Access Program Individualized college search, application, and financial aid guidance for Epic students including visits from admissions officers, ACT prep, and overnight college visits; 100% of Epic NEXT graduates have gone to college.
- Blueprint Festival / New Play Development New play development program commissioning and nurturing socially-minded work by new and established playwrights through readings, workshops, and retreats; past developed plays include Antigone, Enemies, The Winning Side, Pike St., No Child..., Hold These Truths, and others.
- Professional Off-Broadway Productions Off-Broadway productions at Theatre Row's Acorn Theatre (410 West 42nd Street, Manhattan) developing new work by contemporary voices and reinterpreting classics, paired with the Forum Series for post-show audience dialogues; recent examples include Born With Teeth (Shakespeare's Richard III) and the trilingual Enemies (Ibsen adaptation).
- Sweets Factory Fellowship Year-long paid fellowship in Broadway General Management and Independent Producing for NYC high school seniors in Epic NEXT Arts Leadership initiative, jointly run with 321 Theatrical Management, Barbara Whitman Productions, and partner theatrical managers. 1-4 fellows per year work alongside theatre industry leaders in general management, company management, and independent producing.
- Ovation Society Membership Premier donor membership program with tiered annual contributions ranging from $500 (Applause Circle) up to $50,000+ (Leadership levels), offering benefits such as VIP tickets to events, recognition, and access to special performances.
Quantifiable outcome
- 96% college enrollment rate (75% higher than NYC peers)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Epic Theatre Ensemble
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Epic Theatre Ensemble technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Epic Theatre Ensemble partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and major.
- 321 Theatrical ManagementflagshipPartnership with 321 Theatrical Management (Nina Essman, Marcia Goldberg, Nancy Gibbs) and Barbara Whitman Productions to create THE SWEETS FACTORY FELLOWSHIP in Broadway General Management and Independent Producing. The year-long paid fellowship is open to rising NYC High School seniors in Epic NEXT, with 1-4 students per year working alongside theatre industry leaders.
- Barbara Whitman ProductionsflagshipPart of THE SWEETS FACTORY FELLOWSHIP partnership providing mentorship in Broadway general management and independent producing for Epic NEXT graduates.
- 321 Theatrical Management Collective (including Cornice Productions, Cody Lassen & Associates, No Guarantees)flagshipCollective of theatrical managers and producers providing the Sweets Factory Fellowship program infrastructure and mentorship for Epic NEXT students interested in theatre business careers.
- Bank Street College of EducationmajorCommissioning partner for 'The Next Bell' - Amy Stuart Wells, Chief Research Officer and Director of the Public Engagement and Research Initiative (PERI) at Bank Street College of Education commissioned the play exploring belonging in schools.
- Teachers College, Columbia University - The Public GoodmajorCommissioning partner for multiple touring productions including 'Creation of the Nation' (inspired by The 1619 Project), 'Why Teach', 'FixED', 'Default', and 'Overdrive'. Multiple education policy plays developed through this partnership.
- The Poverty & Race Research Action Council (PRRAC)majorCommissioning partner for 'Between the Lines' - exploring the connections between America's housing policies and educational segregation.
- Strong Economy for All CoalitionmajorCommissioning partner for 'Cent$ability' - examining wealth inequality and its relationship to the American Dream.
- The National Coalition on School DiversitymajorCommissioning partner for 'In the Name of Safety' - examining the culture of policing in schools, with statistics on students in schools with police but no nurses, psychologists, or social workers.
- Legal Momentum and Legal Services NYCmajorCommissioning partners for 'Perfect Circle' - exploring student protections against bullying and the persistence of harassment despite stated opposition.
- New York AppleseedmajorCommissioning partner for 'Nothing About Us' - exploration of educational segregation written and performed by NYC Public High School students.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Epic Theatre Ensemble competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Lincoln Center Theater: Premier NYC nonprofit combining Broadway and Off-Broadway productions with substantial education programming (LCT3, Open Stages, student matinees). Comparable in dual mission of professional theatre + youth engagement, though at substantially greater scale.
- Atlantic Theater Company: Off-Broadway nonprofit with a robust in-school residency program serving NYC public school students. Directly comparable as a NYC nonprofit combining professional Off-Broadway production with arts-integrated classroom residencies.
- Manhattan Theatre Club: Major NYC nonprofit theatre company operating Off-Broadway at City Center with an education and community engagement arm. Comparable as an NYC nonprofit with professional production paired with student/audience education programming.
- BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music): Major NYC performing arts institution combining professional productions with education and community programs (BAM Education). Melissa Friedman previously worked at BAM. Comparable as an arts-education-integrated institution, though much larger and venue-operator scale.
- Roundabout Theatre Company: One of the largest NYC nonprofit theatre companies with an extensive education program (Roundabout Teaching Artists, student matinees). Comparable as a NYC nonprofit theatre with a professional-youth dual mission, though much larger and Broadway-focused.
Direct peers
- Theatre for a New Audience: Brooklyn-based nonprofit producing Off-Broadway classical and new work with a strong education program. Notable because Epic co-founders Ron Russell and Melissa Friedman both previously worked there — direct lineage in artistic approach and youth-development philosophy.
- New Victory Theater: New York's only full-time performing arts center for kids and families. Comparable as a NYC nonprofit combining professional productions with youth theatre/education programming and serving under-resourced school communities.
- New York Theatre Workshop: Off-Broadway nonprofit known for developing new work and pairing artistic risk with education/community engagement. Closely comparable to Epic in scale, Off-Broadway positioning, and dual professional/youth mission.
Emerging players
- The 52nd Street Project: NYC nonprofit dedicated to mentoring youth from Hell's Kitchen through theatre-making with professional adult artists. Closely comparable to Epic NEXT in mentorship model and youth-devised-play methodology, though smaller and geographically narrower.
Regional players
- Pregones / Puerto Rican Traveling Theater: NYC Latino theater company producing bilingual professional work and youth education programming in the Bronx. Comparable as an NYC nonprofit combining professional productions with culturally-focused youth theatre residencies in under-resourced communities.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Epic Theatre Ensemble social profiles
Digital presenceEpic Theatre Ensemble financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Epic Theatre Ensemble leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Epic Theatre Ensemble funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Epic Theatre Ensemble M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Epic Theatre Ensemble
What does Epic Theatre Ensemble do?
Epic Theatre Ensemble is an artist-run 501(c)(3) non-profit theatre company that produces professional Off-Broadway theatrical works addressing social and political issues and runs youth development programs — including in-school residencies, the after-school Shakespeare Remix program, and the Epic NEXT intensive mentorship program — for students from under-resourced NYC public high schools. The organization also operates touring youth ensemble productions, a college access program, new play development (Blueprint Festival), and an Ovation Society membership/donor program.
Is Epic Theatre Ensemble a public or private company?
Epic Theatre Ensemble is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Epic Theatre Ensemble founded?
Epic Theatre Ensemble was founded in 2001. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Epic Theatre Ensemble based?
Epic Theatre Ensemble is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Epic Theatre Ensemble make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Membership (Ovation Society) is the primary driver. The others are foundation and Government Grants and ticket Sales and Event Revenue.
Who are Epic Theatre Ensemble's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Lincoln Center Theater, Atlantic Theater Company, Manhattan Theatre Club, BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) and Roundabout Theatre Company. Direct peers are Theatre for a New Audience, New Victory Theater and New York Theatre Workshop. The 52nd Street Project is listed as an emerging player. Pregones / Puerto Rican Traveling Theater is listed as a regional player.
Does Epic Theatre Ensemble have an API?
No public API is recorded for Epic Theatre Ensemble.
What industry is Epic Theatre Ensemble in?
Epic Theatre Ensemble's product category is Performing Arts Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAB, Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies, with a secondary code of BPAGAHAB, Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music). Its NAICS code is 71111.